In the manufacturing process of a semiconductor device or the like, an imprint apparatus using an imprint technique has received attention as a lithography apparatus substituted for an exposure apparatus such as a stepper or a scanner. The imprint apparatus forms (transfers) a pattern on a substrate by performing an imprint process including a coating step, an imprinting step, a curing step, and a separating step. In the coating step, a resin (resist) is applied on the substrate. In the imprinting step, the resin on the substrate and a mold on which a fine three-dimensional pattern has been formed are brought into contact with each other, and the three-dimensional pattern (concave portion) which has been formed on the mold is filled with the resin. In the curing step, the resin is cured while the mold and the resin on the substrate are in contact with each other. In the separating step, the mold is released from the cured resin on the substrate.
In the imprint apparatus, bubbles may remain in the three-dimensional pattern (concave portion) on the mold in the imprinting step. In this case, a failure (unfilling defect) may occur in a pattern to be formed on the substrate, thus making it impossible to form an accurate pattern on the substrate. Although the bubbles remaining in the three-dimensional pattern on the mold will disappear as time goes by, much time is required.
In order to prevent a decrease in a throughput (productivity), Japanese Patent No. 3700001 proposes an imprint apparatus for performing an imprinting step and a separating step in the atmosphere of a condensable gas which condenses and is liquefied along with a pressure increase when a mold and a resin on a substrate are pressed against each other.
In the imprint apparatus, a resin supply unit which supplies (applies) the resin on the substrate and an imprint unit which brings the resin on the substrate into contact with the mold are generally arranged close to each other from the viewpoints of the occupation area and the throughput of the apparatus. Therefore, the condensable gas used in the imprinting step and the separating step (that is, a gas which accelerates filling with the resin) may flow into a space where the resin supply unit is arranged (in a resin supply environment). If there is an inflow of the condensable gas to the resin supply environment, the resin cannot be supplied properly and unevenness occurs in the resin supplied onto the substrate. In this case, a portion may appear where the three-dimensional pattern on the mold is not sufficiently filled with the resin and an unfilling defect may occur in the pattern to be formed on the substrate.